Method of producing a rubber-containing product.



' ALFRED E. MERRITT', OF GAINESVILLE, GEORGIA.

mor or rnonucmcrn nunnnn-conrarnme PRODUCT.

Np Drawing.

Specification of Letters iatent. f Application filed January 23, 1912.Serial No. 672,889.

Patented Nov. 19, 1912 To all whom it may concern: Be it known. that I,ALFRED E. MERRITT, a citizen of the United States, residing atGainesville, in the county of Hall and State of'Georgia, have invented anew and useful Method of Producing a Rubber-Containing 'Product, ofwhich the following is a specification.

a This invention relates to'a method of producing a rubber containingproduct.

The object of the invention is in a novel and practical manner sototreatcrude rubher as to impart to it properties that will particularlyadapt it for use in the manufacture of vehicle tires, hose, belting andother articles where its use will be of advantage; materially to lowerthe cost of production of such articles by largely reducing the quantityof'rubberrrequisite to the procedure; and to impart wear and weatherresisting qualities to the products that will greatly enhance theirvalue.

With the above and other objects in view, as will appear as the natureof the invention is better understood, the same consist, generallystated, in the method of producing a rubber containing product, whichconsists in dissolving crude rubber in .a compound solvent, in which oneof the resolvents acts directly on the rubber and the other on theresins. and other impurities thereof, to a semi-liquid ,condition inwhich all of the components of the rubber are in solution, intimatelyincorporating a fibrous material with the mass, drying until thesolvents are eliminated, coagulating the rubber, and

finally drying it.

The invention consists further in the various steps of the method, aswill be hereinafter fully described and claimed. I

In carrying the invention into effect, crud rubber, is dissolved to asemi-liquid condition in a compound solvent composed of benzin or likevolatile hydro-carbon, and a resin solvent such as acetone, the mass containing all of the components of the rubber in solution. The action ofthe benzin is, as is well known, to resolve the rubber, while theacetone acts in a like manner on the resin and other impurities in therubher and reduces them to. a condition in which theywill intimatelycommingle with the rubber, and form constituents thereof.

Fibrous asbestos, in a proportion that varies according to the articlefor which the product is designed, is stirred into the Jected to theactlon of a drylng agent to evaporate any moisture that may remain fromthe brine. The product is now ready to be rolled into sheets of variouswidths and thicknesses, or to be molded into any desired shape. Thefinal step is to vulcanize the articles prhduced from the product, andthis may, be accomplished in any well known or preferred manner.

The fibrous asbestos not only materially strengthens the final productand imparts to it a marked increase in'its power to resist wear and thedeteriorating action of the elements, but largely reduces the cost ofproduction of articles made from the product as the asbestos replacesfrom twenty-five to fifty per cent. of rubber that would otherwise haveto be employed to bring the manufactured articles to standard thiclreness and weight.

I claim:

1. The method of producing a rubber-containing product, which consistsin dissolving crude rubber in a compound solvent, of which one .of theresolvents act-s directly on the rubber and the other on the resins andother impurities thereof, to a semi-liquid condition in which all of thecomponents of the rubber are in solution, intimately incorporating afibrous material with the mass, and drying until the solvents areeliminated.-

2. The method of producing a rubber-con taining product, which consistsin dissolving crude rubber in a. compound solvent, of which one of theresolvents acts directly on the 'rubber'and the other on the resins andother impurities thereof, to a semi-liquid condition in which all of thecomponents of the rubber are in solution, intimately incorporating afibrous material with the mass, drying until the solvents areeliminated,coagulating the rubber, and finally drying it. 3.. The method ofproducing arubber-containing product which consists in dissolving cruderubber, in acompound solvent consisting of a volatile hydro-carbon andacetone, to a semi-liquid condition in which all the components of therubber are in solution, intimately incorporating a fibrous material withthe mass, drying until the solvents are eliminated, coagulating therubber, and finally drying it.

4. The method of producing a rubber-containing product which consists indissolving crude rubber, in a compound solvent consisting of benzin andacetone, to a semiliquid condition in which all the components 'of therubber are in solution, intimately incorporating a fibrous material withthe mass, drying until the solvents are eliminated, coagulating therubber, and finally drying it.

5. The method of producing a rubber containing product which consists indissolving crude rubber, in a compound solvent conslsting of benz1n andacetone, to a semil1qu1d COIldltlOIl 1n whlch all the components ofthe'rubber are in solution, intimately inin the presence of twowitnesses.

ALFRED E. MERRITT. Witnesses:

D. L. DENTON, v M. Q. WHITEHEAD.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressingthe Commissioner of Patents,

Washington, I). G.

